This invention relates to a hydraulic drive system for work vehicles such as farm machinery and tractors.
In conventional vehicles of this type, power is transmitted from an engine to the drive wheels through the various shafts and gears similar to the drive systems employed in auto trucks and passenger automobiles. The conventional drive components comprise a clutch, gear box including speed change and reversing gears, longitudinal drive shaft, differential gears and an axle shaft for each drive wheel. All these rotating parts require high quality bearings.
It is desired to provide a less complicated and expensive drive system for work vehicles which eliminates the expensive and complicated components of conventional drive systems along with the servicing and maintainance requirements which are necessary to keep conventional drive systems in good operating condition.
Objects of the present invention are therefore, to provide an improved drive system for tractors and other work vehicles, to provide a drive system which eliminates the conventional clutch, speed change gear box, differential gears, long drive and axle shafts and bearings for all of these rotating parts, and to provide a hydraulic drive system having the simplicity and efficiency of power transmission of a steam engine.